There have been many highlights in the year to date, including our participation in the Act4Impact campaign to promote Rotary at the Waterfront in Cape Town.
Our awesome cycle race was once again very successful. With teamwork like clockwork at the cycle race, I believe the organisers of the Tour the France could learn something from us. With the assistance of our new sponsor, Rhodes Quality, our marketing campaign was extremely successful and we drew nearly 2000 entries, the most ever. This event can only go from strength to strength.
We joined forces with our District to promote Rotary with “Act 4 Impact”, a marketing event in the VA Waterfront. In April we will also be participating in a Rotary Friendship exchange with 12 visiting Rotarians from India. For all our members this is a unique opportunity to come into direct contact with the Indian culture.On 12 April we will present our annual Artists for Artists art auction at the Old Tannery in Wellington. You are all invited to attend our cocktail party at 6 pm that day, to view the works of art which will be exhibited and available for online auction for another week.
And in May we start our second series of seminars on dementia, for next-of-kin carers. Our previous seminars led to the formation of a support group, and we hope to expand the number of support groups which have been invaluable in supporting family member who care for these patients.
Recently we held our weekly lunch meeting at The Gathering in Paarl East. A success on the one hand as we had the meeting with the most participants of the year. This also showed us that all the members are conscious that we are intent on recruiting new members.
We have had some remarkable speakers at our meetings. First, we were impressed with the recollections of Rotarian Alan of his years living in Russia. The Swart sisters shared with us their experience living and teaching in South Korea. All this against the backdrop of a changing world: elections, new presidents.
Another speaker, Dr Chris De Brouwer, proved with facts and figures that our climate is changing. He gave us insight into the impact of climate on agriculture, a matter which is of vital importance for the Boland.
Andrew May touched all our hearts with the report of his study of the women serving their sentences in prisons and having babies there. He plans to open a home in Wellington where these women can be reintegrated into society.
The president, your servant, looked back and saw that it was good.
Rudy Dupont
MCM Miqlat is currently building a sound studio in the Tiffany building in Paarl East, where unemployed youngsters can make music recordings and learn to be sound engineers. The studio is funded by sponsors like Proclaim International, an American church group. At a recent Paarl Rotary meeting were (from left) Carey Holmquist of Proclaim International, Rudy Dupont (president of Paarl Rotary), Aletia Grundlingh of MCM Miqlat, and Pavel Shelpuk, a Belorussian musician and leader of a band called Spasenie (Salvation). Paarl Rotary is also one of the sponsors of the sound studio.